Geneva – As health leaders prepare to meet for a virtual session of the resumed 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA), the WHO has three messages to share.
First, we can defeat COVID-19 with science, solutions, and solidarity.
More than 47 million COVID-19 cases have now been reported to WHO, and more than 1.2 million people have lost their lives.
Although it is a global crisis, many countries and cities have successfully prevented or controlled shipping with a comprehensive, evidence-based approach.
For the first time, the world has come up with a plan to accelerate the development of the vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutic drugs we need and to ensure that they are available to all countries on the basis of equity. Accessing COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator delivers real results.
Second, we must not fall back on our critical health goals.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a sobering reminder that health is the foundation of social, economic and political stability.
It reminds us why WHO’s triple billion ‘targets are so important, and why countries should pursue them with even more determination, cooperation and innovation.
Since May, Member States have taken a number of decisions – the 2030 immunization agenda, the decade of healthy aging 2020-2030, as well as initiatives to tackle cervical cancer, tuberculosis, eye care, food safety, intellectual property and preparedness for influenza.
The resume session will discuss a 10-year plan for tackling neglected tropical diseases, as well as efforts to address meningitis, epilepsy and other neurological disorders, feeding infants and grandchildren to mothers, digital health and the WHO Global Code of Practice on International Recruitment of health personnel, which was accepted in 2010.
Third, we must now prepare for the next pandemic.
We have seen in recent years that countries with a robust emergency preparedness infrastructure have been able to rapidly curb the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The WHA will consider a draft resolution (EB146.R10) that strengthens Member States’ preparedness for health emergencies, such as COVID-19, through more stringent compliance with International Health Regulations (2005). This resolution calls on the global health community to ensure that all countries are better equipped to detect and respond to cases of COVID-19 and other dangerous infectious diseases.